University of Otago, Department of Chemistry

Bioeconomy Science Institute Maiangi Taiao Natural Products Research Unit: People retiring and starting

Catherine Sansom retired on 30 April, after 25 years working with us on purifying and identifying bioactive natural products and running GC-MS analyses.

Catherine’s expertise on both aspects of our research led to many discoveries, most recently described in papers on “new” cannabinoids from an Aotearoa NZ liverwort:

• Andre, C.M.; Sansom, C.E.; Plunkett, B.J.; Hamiaux, C.; Massey, L.; Chan, A.; Caddie, M.; Espley, R.V.; Perry, N.B. Unique bibenzyl cannabinoids in the liverwort Radula marginata: parallels with cannabis chemistry. New Phytologist 2025, 246, 2666–2682.

And on a volatile marker for an economically important disease of apple trees worldwide:

• Sansom, C.E.; Burgess, E.J.; Larsen, L.; Joyce, N.I.; Jaksons, P.; Campbell, R.E.; Rebstock, R.; Hallett, I.; Rees-George, J.; Everett, K.R. et al. Sensing Disease in Apple Trees: Potential Signature Compounds for European Canker (Neonectria ditissima) Infection. J Agric Food Chem 2025, 73, 15003-15013.

Welcome to Samantha Atley who has just joined us, after submitting her MSc thesis, working with Nick Green.